The Blog

Rexel Expo 2019 – Facilitate our customers’ day-to-day operations

The new 2019 Paris edition of Rexel Expo took place from the 14th to the 18th of October, at the “Parc des Expositions” exhibition center and hosted more than 22,000 visitors. The event put the spotlight on the services and connected solutions offered to the Group’s customers to facilitate their day-to-day operations.

In the current context of energy transition, the 1,800 exhibitors presented their innovative solutions for energy management in the residential, commercial and industrial markets.

Discover the several business areas and related solutions proposed by Rexel, as well as interviews with experts, visitors and employees in this article and an overview in pictures!

With Energeasy Connect, smart homes become available to all

The smart home market is blooming. Rexel offers a connected solution which enables new or renovated accommodations to turn into smart homes. It includes the control of the home’s traditional features such as heating, lighting or shutters.

A source of comfort, savings, and security, smart homes are becoming more popular thanks to the use of intelligent virtual assistants that enable voice controlled smart home systems. The connected device and smart home market reached the milestone of one billion euros in sales in 2018.

Christian Roche, IoT Business Unit Director at Rexel, shares his perspective on the latest trends.

Click for the full interview here

In order to make smart homes available to all, Rexel supports the evolution in the installers’ professions and the necessity for them to develop their skills and increase their expertise in this field. The Group therefore proposes informative meetings as well as a specific training program dedicated to Energeasy Connect.

At Rexel Expo, the Group presents a sneak peak of its app “E.Connect PRO.” Dedicated to professionals, it enables them to configure and activate a controller as well as monitor their Energeasy Connect hubs and associated equipment.

This first day was also marked by the visit of Cécile Martin, ministerial advisor in charge of inclusion through employment. She supported Rexel France’s invitation to co-op students at Rexel Expo, to introduce them to the professional world of energy. An initiative fully aligned with the Group’s commitment to a more inclusive economy and promotion of work-study programs.

Dedicated Services for Industry 4.0

The 4th industrial revolution is largely based on the digitization of factories and the integration of innovative technologies, for the benefit of greater productivity and competitiveness which are essential in a globalized market. To support manufacturers in this evolution, Rexel simplifies their access to the latest innovations in the sector by deploying a range of products, solutions and services.

Robotics, augmented reality, digital twins (digital replication of an object to create a virtual test environment) or predictive maintenance are awaiting in the space dedicated to the digital industry.

Grégoire Morineaux, Director of Industry Market at Rexel France, reconsiders the sector’s evolution and the challenges ahead.

For the Rexel Expo, the Group’s employees and customers were able to attend the launch of the Rexel Lab, a digital library project that will regroup documentary resources (articles, white papers, etc.) dedicated to industrial news and innovation.

This morning, Grégoire Morineaux, and Thomas Moreau Chief Executive Officer of Rexel France, presented the Rexel Lab project which should eventually develop into a community network composed of customers and industry experts.

The construction market
in motion with BIM

Recently, the construction market has deeply changed, in particular in better integrating ecological constraints, in a sustainable perspective.

“The key challenge in the commercial market is to help our customers adapt to the evolution of the construction industry, especially in regard to the energy and digital transitions. Smart buildings now make a difference in incorporating renewable energies and connected energy management solutions. Rexel aims to become a key player in this market. Therefore, to meet environmental, regulatory and technological requirements, we offer a variety of solutions and services ranging from safety and communication to interoperability, from electric mobility to self-consumption, photovoltaic production, etc. We believe that the next generation of buildings will be connected, comfortable, secured, eco-friendly and scalable”.
Arnaud Lainé
Arnaud LainéCommercial Market Director at Rexel France

The energy consumption of buildings can now be taken into account right from the design phase of the projects.

The virtual prefiguration of the future building, a core element of the BIM (Building Information Modeling) approach is, in this respect, a definite asset for the major players of the construction market, allowing them to follow the progress of the project and to have all the information needed in real time.

Carrying a number of ecological and organizational benefits, this design method is booming in Europe and BIM projects keep on multiplying, like the Grand Paris. Working collaboratively on every step of the building lifecycle is, for all members of the trade, a necessity and a step to take.

Alexia Labezin and Charles Cauche, respectively Customer Experience Manager at Rexel and Head of Marketing for the residential market at Rexel France, report on these developments and their impact on their clients’ businesses.

Rexel is aware of the advantages that this new design methodology offers and of the opportunity it gives to professionals to position themselves in this market. The Group therefore aims to help them develop their skills and adapt their expertise to this innovative way of considering
buildings : Rexel proposes a wide range of tools and solutions adapted to all their needs and to all phases of a project’s life: BIM objects libraries, cost or product configuration are some examples.

Rexel makes its customers’ life easier by combining
proximity and digital services

Installers’ business activity is continuously evolving, according to market trends and innovations. This implies for them to regularly attend training sessions and improve or develop new skills. In order to be able to meet the end-users’ needs, they can rely on Rexel’s network of over 2,000 branches, among which 460 in France, where they can benefit from steady supply and individual support from experts.

Digital services complement this proximity approach, such as project or work management tools, with the Esabora software package in particular.

The mobile app enables installers to focus on their core activity thanks to an easy management of the administrative, commercial or technical aspects that go along with running their business (such as lead generation, customer follow-up, or inventory management).

The tool was to be discovered through demonstrations organized at a dedicated booth at Rexel Expo.

"Since Monday, customers visiting Rexel Expo have shown strong interest in the Esabora software package and true enthusiasm for the dedicated application presented at the trade show. Thanks to demonstrations by our teams throughout the week, new fans will soon join our community: we already have more than 6,000 active users"
Fabien Decret​
Fabien Decret​Esabora director

The multichannel approach is a major strength in the Group’s customer relationship. The various services offered through these several channels facilitate the installers’ daily operations by multiplying the touchpoints and expertise available, optimizing the delivery times and methods, with even better product availability.

The trade show is another tangible example of the services offered by Rexel to their customers, by enabling them to meet regularly and stay up-to-date with the latest market’s innovations.

Making a difference through a unique customer experience

If customer experience and proximity are at the heart of Rexel’s value proposition, branches remain a key touchpoint for many customers. Indeed, in parallel with the increasing role of the web, physical contact points lie at the core of the relationship that the Group nurtures with its customers. Therefore, Rexel uses the best of what digital can offer to consider a new, more connected branch. Visitors could discover the in-branch app, and its several features that contribute to improve on-site customer experience: order of products chosen on the shelf, product comparison guide, access to personalized prices in a few clicks… everything is done to streamline the customer journey and reduce wait times.

Digital tools also provide added value to facilitate the Group’s customers business. The online configurator Volt@, for example, helps determine the type of cable most suited to the expressed need and desired use. It offers obvious time savings for electricians as it recommends the right cable to use according to technical selection criteria, regulatory constraints, specified building type and intended uses. Rexel Expo visitors became more familiar with this tool through demonstrations and hands-on learning on the dedicated stand.

Because service is key to a successful customer experience, our teams make it a daily commitment. Discover in a word their vision of the service by Rexel.

This edition of Rexel Expo also provided an opportunity to concretely affirm the Group’s sustainable development commitments.
Bertrand De Clermont Tonnerre, Group Sustainable Development Director, says more about it:

And, finally, a few words from our customers !